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7.30.2010

When I designed Mythos I REALLY wanted to make it twice, one in the version I got done in time, and a larger size in Schaefer's Andrea (yummy 100% cultivated laceweight silk) held double. There was no way I could get both done in time so I sent out a desperate e-mail to see which of my model knitters was crazy enough to accept the challenge. Colleen responded first, though I think she lived to regret this, and knit this STUNNING version of Mythos for me.

One of things I LOVE about Mythos is that it is designed to fit many different body types and sizes and I'm not sure the original pictures accurately portrayed that. Thanks Colleen for helping me make it happen!!!!!

And thanks to my model and dear friend Diana who got up at the crack of dawn looking GORGEOUS for out photoshoot!

7.19.2010

Do you remember my Olympic Challenge and how it got it's name? and how I had days I didn't think I would make it? Well I did finish it on time, and the pattern is finally ready to release. I was hesitating releasing a pattern that is so clearly inspired by winter, but I decided that it is SO darn hot out right now that we all need a little something to remind us of the COLD! It's really the perfect time of year for lace and beads!!!!

Winterlude is worked from the bottom up in an offset lace and cable pattern on a ribbed base. Once you get the hang of this stitch pattern it is easy to follow. Increases are worked at the beginning of each row, so that the triangle grows with each horizontal repeat worked. (a similar construction to Entomology) As with all my designs the lace pattern is both charted and written out.

The edging is a "really cool loopy i-cord edging" with optional beads. I spent a wee bit too much time finding an edging I liked and almost didn't make it to the finish line. In the end I am thrilled with what I came up with. For those of you who know my designs I really can't get enough of attached i-cord edging.

7.13.2010

We just got back from a week on the road visiting friends (Baltimore area) and family (NYC). I am so happy to be settling back in!

A few highlights of our week away:

1. This baby, which has, count them, THREE ELBOW PITS, she is the most amazing cheerful little (that might not be the right word for her) child. I adore her!

2. When I wasn't munching on her arm and giggling with her about our various secrets we ate, drank, swam, and knitted all holiday weekend long. It was lovely!

3. Once in NYC we went to see South Pacific with my Mom, it was an amazing performance (though maybe not so appropriate for my 10yo). The costumes were stunning, set perfect and acting, dancing and singing thoroughly engaging... perhaps it is my dirty little secret that I really enjoy Broadway shows.

4. We ate at my fav Chinese restaurant, Shun Lee. I really do love Ithaca, but not it's Chinese food, so whenever I travel I seek out the good stuff!

5. I had a lovely tea with Melissa of NeoKnits, it was a wonderful meeting of the minds and I look forward to more such sessions with her.

6. The Dead or Alive exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design. I couldn't decide what I liked more, the rhinestone encrusted antlers, or the loom with fabric made from mouse fur harvested from owl pellets. (Yeah, kinda gross, but the fabric was STUNNING, almost like men's suiting.)

7. The luck of lunching right next to a Samsung Flagship store, so when Knitty went live I could bop over and use their ginormous flat-screen FREE internet terminals to do my thing for Mythos! (only in NYC....)

8. A visit to Kinokuniya where my girl bought cute erasers, and I bought a gorgeous crochet pattern book that I can't read as it doesn't have any explanations of the charts and it's all in Japanese. (l love it anyway!)

9. My favorite dinner of pierogies and borscht and Veselka, followed by a lovely evening at Barge Music... it was so eerie as the barge is in water and we swayed with the east river while the musicians played.

10. Brunch with my dear friend Connie and her hubby Maurizio, we had so much to chat about and only a few hours... I think we were still talking as I went down the subway stairs!

All in all, such a good week, that on the bus home I (gasp) ran out of knitting.....and I was in the mood to cook dinner again!

7.08.2010

Welcome! (and Welcome Back! to those of you who have been here before)

I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite sweater: Mythos. This sweater is the brain child of Amy, Gillian and myself. Designed to be your go-to, grab it, just in case I get chilly, don't want to show all of my body in that tank top, I need to cover my butt kind of sweater....

Mythos is side to side worked with fingering weight yarn at a gauge of 18 sts and 24 rows, so it is a sweater that is lightweight BUT works up quickly. I chose Schaefer's Audrey, a yarn I cannot stop working with. Audrey is a hardy single ply wool/silk. Normally I would hesitate to use a single ply for a sweater (and I did) but the silk content in Audrey really holds the ply together. The resulting fabric is superbly soft and light, delicate to the touch without actually being delicate at all!I have a larger size off with a model knitter and will post photos and recommendations on fit when it gets here... so excited to share that version with you, so PLEASE come back, won't you? Also, I have plans to share a tutorial on kitchener stitch. I am one of those crazy knitters who actually LOVES to kitchener stitch! I really enjoy the rhythm of it and hope to pass my love of it along to you...

You can see gobs more photos of Mythos on Ravelry or on Flickr. Please post your versions (and let me know about them) as you get knitting. I'm also thinking of starting a KAL in the Nelkin Designs group on Ravelry, anybody in?